David Lange

David was born in 1942 and grew up in Ōtāhuhu, an industrial area in Auckland. After completing his high school education, he enrolled at the University of Auckland to study law. He quickly established himself as a powerful advocate for marginalised people, using his legal skills to defend those who had been unjustly treated. His ability to quickly master the details of a case and make persuasive arguments in court earned him a reputation as a master of pleas in mitigation.

In 1963, David joined the Labour political party, but was not particularly active until 1974 when he made a couple of unsuccessful attempts to formally enter politics. In 1977, he contested selection for the Labour Party ahead of the by-election in the safe Labour seat in Auckland’s Māngere. David gave a powerful speech, recalling it as “the best speech of my political career”, where he spoke of his nostalgia for the values and sense of community of a bygone era, and promised a future built on social justice. He won the selection and went on to easily win the by-election, holding the seat with substantial majorities until his retirement in 1996.

With his debating skill and superb wit, David was marked out as a future leader from the time he entered Parliament. This became a reality just six years later when he became leader of the Labour Party in 1983, and ultimately New Zealand’s youngest prime minister of the 20th century following a snap election in 1984.

The outgoing prime minister, Robert Muldoon, had struggled to protect the economy, and the fixed exchange rate had led to a run on the New Zealand dollar. David inherited a country facing a serious currency crisis with an overvalued dollar, a high budget deficit, and surging inflation. In the days following the election, his incoming treasury team – led by Minister of Finance Roger Douglas – devalued the New Zealand dollar by 20 per cent, in an effort to stabilise the economy.

The Labour government began a comprehensive programme of economic reform, including the floating of the New Zealand dollar and giving the central Reserve Bank the responsibility of controlling inflation. A goods and services tax (GST) was introduced, which added 10 per cent to the cost of most goods and services.

To increase economic efficiency and reduce government intervention in the market, subsidies to farmers, protection for manufacturers, and tax incentives to both were removed. Government-owned commercial entities – including forestry, telecommunications, printing, and railways – were moved away from direct government control and became state-owned enterprises with independent boards and management that operated on market principles.

During his first term as prime minister, David was also Minister of Foreign Affairs and in that role, he championed New Zealand’s now long-standing nuclear-free policy.

The refusal of the United States to confirm or deny whether the USS Buchanan was carrying nuclear weapons led the Government to refuse the ship entry to New Zealand. The American response to this decision was swift and severe, suspending military ties including its participation in the ANZUS treaty, which had been a cornerstone of New Zealand’s defence policy, and had a lasting impact on the country’s relationship with the United States.

During a televised Oxford Union debate in 1985, David gained widespread international acclaim when he argued passionately that “nuclear weapons are morally indefensible” and made one of the most famous quotes of his career when he told his opponent:

“Hold your breath just for a moment. I can smell the uranium on it as you lean towards me!”

By 1987, the Labour government passed the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act, establishing Aotearoa New Zealand’s sea, land, and airspace as nuclear-free zones. This has remained an integral part of the country’s foreign policy with strong bipartisan support.

David Lange’s government was also committed to social and human rights reform and introduced several important pieces of legislation that helped to promote equality and justice in New Zealand society.

One of the most significant of these reforms was the Homosexual Law Reform Act in 1986, which decriminalised consensual sex between men aged 16 and over, and allowed them to enter into same-sex relationships without fear of prosecution. He also took steps to recognise and promote the rights of Māori, making te reo Māori an official language of New Zealand.

In his second term as prime minister, David took on the role of Minister of Education. He pushed to reform the school education system with the introduction of Tomorrow’s Schools, downsizing the Department of Education to become the Ministry of Education, which made education policy and allowed schools to run themselves. The new system, which took effect from 1989, saw parents elect their own board of trustees, which was responsible for overseeing the governance of their school.

David was known to be sensitive to criticism and averse to conflict. When Roger Douglas pushed for more radical economic reforms in the wake of the 1987 stock market crash, he overruled his proposal for a flat tax, and disagreements between the two – and his wider caucus – escalated. After five years leading New Zealand, David resigned in 1989, remaining in parliament for a further six years on the back benches.

David suffered poor health for many years and was mourned by the nation when he died from heart failure at 63. At a public memorial service then-Prime Minister Helen Clark noted:

“Few have the opportunity to lead their country, and even fewer are memorable. David Lange will go down in history as a truly memorable Prime Minister.”

David Lange is remembered as a leader committed to long-term solutions for the country’s prosperity and willing to take bold action in the face of economic challenges. His government rewrote how New Zealand saw itself on the world stage and transformed the previously heavily protected economy with one of the most radical reforms in the industrialised world.